If you lived in Qatar instead of Afghanistan, you would:

Health

live 16.2 years longer

In Afghanistan, the average life expectancy is 66 years (65 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2024. In Qatar, that number is 83 years (82 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 8.8 times more spent on your healthcare

Afghanistan spends $330 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Qatar spends $2,901 as of 2023.

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have 9.5 times more doctors per person

Afghanistan has 3.2 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Qatar has 30.2 as of 2023.

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have 85.4% more access to essential health services

Afghanistan scores 41 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Qatar scores 76 as of 2021.

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be 2.0 times more likely to be obese

In Afghanistan, 20.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Qatar, that number is 42.0% of people as of 2024.

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be 30.6% more likely to die by suicide

Afghanistan has a suicide rate of 3.6 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Qatar, it is 4.7 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 99.0% less likely to be unemployed

In Afghanistan, 13.3% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Qatar, that number is 0.1% as of 2025.

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make 174.0 times more money

Afghanistan has a GDP per capita of $417 as of 2024, while in Qatar, the GDP per capita is $72,525 as of 2025.

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Life

be 99.2% less likely to die during childbirth

In Afghanistan, approximately 521.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Qatar, 4.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 90.1% less likely to die during infancy

In Afghanistan, approximately 48.3 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Qatar, on the other hand, 4.8 children do as of 2024.

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have 72.8% fewer children

In Afghanistan, there are approximately 35.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Qatar, there are 9.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 17.2% more likely to have access to electricity

In Afghanistan, approximately 85% of people have electricity access (96% in urban areas, and 81% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Qatar, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 6.1 times more likely to have internet access

In Afghanistan, approximately 16.1% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Qatar, about 98.1% do as of 2024.

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be 23.7% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Afghanistan, approximately 81% of people have access to drinking water as of 2024. In Qatar, 100% of people do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 83.2% less on healthcare

Afghanistan spends 15.0% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Qatar, that number is 2.5% of GDP as of 2023.

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spend 11.4% more on education

Afghanistan spends 2.9% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Qatar spends 3.2% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

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Safety

be 98.3% less likely to be murdered

Afghanistan has a homicide rate of 4.0 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Qatar, that number is 0.1 per 100,000 as of 2022.

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be 69.7% less likely to die in a road accident

In Afghanistan, road accidents kill 24.1 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Qatar, they kill 7.3 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 147.8 times more home broadband

Afghanistan has 0.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2023. Qatar has 11.8 as of 2024.

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live with 7.9 times more strain on fresh water

Afghanistan withdraws 55% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Qatar withdraws 431% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 36.4% less likely to die from air pollution

In Afghanistan, air pollution causes 143.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Qatar, it causes 91.0 as of 2019.

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emit 169.0 times more CO2

Afghanistan emits 0.3 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Qatar emits 47.3 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2020). How we calculate this

Qatar: At a glance

Qatar is a sovereign country in Middle East, with a total land area of approximately 11,586 sq km. Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for pearling into an independent state with significant oil and natural gas revenues. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Qatari economy was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum revenues by the Amir, who had ruled the country since 1972. His son, the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, overthrew the father in a bloodless coup in 1995. In short order, HAMAD oversaw the creation of the pan-Arab satellite news network Al-Jazeera and Qatar's pursuit of a leadership role in mediating regional conflicts. In the 2000s, Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. As of 2007, oil and natural gas revenues had enabled Qatar to attain the highest per capita income in the world. Qatar has not experienced domestic unrest or violence like that seen in other Near Eastern and North African countries in 2010-11, due in part to its immense wealth. Since the outbreak of regional unrest, however, Doha has prided itself on its support for many of these popular revolutions, particularly in Libya and Syria. In mid-2013, HAMAD transferred power to his 33 year-old son, TAMIM bin Hamad - a peaceful abdication rare in the history of Arab Gulf states. TAMIM has prioritized improving the domestic welfare of Qataris, including establishing advanced healthcare and education systems and expanding the country's infrastructure in anticipation of Doha's hosting of the 2022 World Cup.
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